1 Important Information for 2015 Returns American Opportunity Tax Credit Lifetime Learning Tax Credit Tuition and Fees Deduction Qualified Tuition Programs (529 Plans) Qualified Education Expenses Non-Qualified Education Expenses Departmental Scholarships, Fellowships and Grants to U.S. Resident and Citizen students Form 1098T Information Resources Agenda:

2 Important Information Tax Due date is April 18, 2016 Exemption is $4,000 per person Standard deduction is $6,300 for single and $12,600 for joint return.

3 Tax Credit or Deduction A tax credit reduces the amount of income tax you may have to pay A deduction reduces the amount of income subject to tax

4 Applies to the first four years of post-secondary education Up to $2,500 of the cost of qualified tuition and related expenses paid during the taxable year American Opportunity Tax Credit: for students enrolled in undergraduate programs

5 For any type of post-secondary education, including classes taken to improve or acquire job skills For an unlimited number of years Equal to 20% of the first $10,000 of qualified expenses (maximum $2,000) paid in 2015 Lifetime Learning Tax Credit: for students enrolled in graduate or any fee based programs

6 If you pay qualified education expenses For American Opportunity: your MGI is under $80,000 for single or under $160,000 for married filing jointly. For Lifetime Learning: your MGI is under $52,000 for single or under $104,000 for married filing jointly. To claim a credit, use tax form 1040A or 1040 To calculate the tax credit, use form 8863 You Can Claim a Tax Credit

7 If your filing status is married filing separately You are listed as a dependent in the exemptions section on another person’s tax return For the American Opportunity: your income is over $90,000 for single and over $180,000 for married filing jointly. For the Lifetime Learning: your income is over $62,000 for single and over $124,000 for married filing jointly. You or your spouse were a non-resident alien for any part of 2015 and the non-resident did not elect to be treated as a resident for tax purposes You Cannot Claim a Tax Credit

8 Taken as an adjustment to income Available if your income is too high to take either the American Opportunity or Lifetime tax credit Income limit is $65,000 for single and $130,000 for married filing jointly. You may get a reduce amount if your income is over this limit. Maximum deduction amount is $4,000 To claim the tuition fees deduction: Use Form 8917 to calculate Report on Line 34 on Form 1040 Report on Line 19 on Form 1040A Tuition & Fees Deduction

9 Qualified Tuition Program (GET or 529 College Saving Program) Many states have programs that allow people to prepay or contribute to an account for paying qualified education expenses No tax is due on a distribution for a QTP unless the amount distributed is greater than the qualified education expenses Washington State offers the GET program  Payments from this program are not reported on the 1098T tax form

10 Per IRS regulations, qualified education expenses are: Tuition and fees required for enrollment Course related books Supplies Equipment needed for a course of study **Whether or not paid to the educational institution as a condition of enrollment or attendance Qualified Education Expenses American Opportunity

11 Qualified Education Expenses Lifetime Learning Per IRS regulations, qualified education expenses are: Tuition and fees required for enrollment Books Supplies Equipment **Only if paid for an eligible student that is required for enrollment or attendance at an eligible institution”

12 Qualified Education Expenses Do Not Include Insurance Medical Expenses (including student health fees) Transportation (U-pass) Room & Board Similar personal, living or family expenses.

13 A scholarship or fellowship is tax free when: the money is paying for qualified education expenses AND the student is working towards a degree Departmental Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants

14 1.The money will affect students’ financial aid status and can affect a student’s tax credit  When departments award money onto the student tuition account, the UW does not withhold tax 2.When departments award money in the student account system, the Financial Aid Office will receive all the income information to determine the needs of students when they apply for financial aid 3.Prizes, awards, and stipends are taxable income Prizes, Awards and Stipends to U.S. Citizens & Resident Students

15 UW generates a 1098T form to all UW and Educational Outreach students. On-line printing available from web site Summarizes all the tuition and fee charges in Box 2 Summarizes scholarship, fellowship and financial aid in Box 5 Helps students determine if they qualify for tax credit or if the scholarship and grant aid money is taxable Non–Resident Alien Students do not qualify and will not receive the 1098T form 1098T form for the American Opportunity & Lifetime Learning Credit

16 IRS Form 1098T – Prepared by the UW Information on the form: Box 2 – total of qualified tuition and fees expenses Box 5 – total of scholarship or financial aid grants When comparing box 2 to box 5: If box 2 total is greater than box 5 total, student may qualify for a tax credit If box 5 total is greater than the box 2 total, student will have to report the difference in the amount as income UW reports tuition charges plus scholarships and financial aid grants but does not report payments from personal funds to the IRS

17 UW Form 1098T American Opportunity or Lifetime Learning Tax Credits Box 2$39,429 Box Difference$39,429 Maximum credit for American Opportunity is $2,500 Maximum credit for Lifetime Learning is $2,000

18 UW Form 1098T Scholarship Income Box 2 $3,867 Box 5 - 6,500 Difference-$2,633 Extra scholarship funds to report as income $2,633

19 UW Form 1098T 19 Box 2 $ 9,362 Box ,542 Difference -$11,180 Extra scholarship funds to report as income is $11,180 Stipend Paid via Payroll No taxes withheld from the payroll office - may increases tax liability

20 IRS Form 1040 To report scholarship income: line 7 “sch” )

21 IRS Form 1040 – Back Line 50 To report tax credits from form 8863

22 IRS Form 1040A To report scholarship income: line 7 “sch”

23 IRS Form 1040A -Back Line 33 To report tax credits from form 8863

24 IRS Form 1040EZ To report scholarship income: line 1 “sch”

25 IRS Form 1040EZ – Back

26 IRS Form to Calculate Tuition and Fees Deduction

27 IRS Form to Calculate Education Credits

28 Electronic Filing

29 To Get Help for Tax Questions IRS Office – In Person Individual Tax Help Phone Number: Days: Monday - Friday Times: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm by appointment Location: 915 Second Ave (Downtown Seattle) 32 nd Floor, Federal Building

30 Get Free Help to File Taxes Seattle Public Library For more times and locations: Central Library at 1000 Fourth Ave. Jan. 11 through April 21 Noon - 7 p.m. Monday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday University Branch at 5009 Roosevelt Way NE Jan. 14 through April 21 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday Ballard Branch at nd Ave. N.W. Feb. 1 through March 31 2:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Monday 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Thursday Northgate Branch at Fifth Ave. N.E. Feb. 4 through April 14 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Thursday Queen Anne Branch at 400 W. Garfield St. Feb. 3 through April 13 Noon - 5 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday

31 Free Tax Services IRS “Guide to Free Tax Service” Contains: – List of free tax publications – Index of tax topics To contact your advocate: – Phone: – Web:

32 For more Tax Credit information IRS Publication 970 IRS web site

33 For a no-hassle, paperless, environmentally friendly 1098T, sign up to “Opt Out” of receiving the paper 1098T form Student Fiscal Services will send you an as soon as the 1098T is on your MyUW page! For more information go to:

34 For Frequently Asked Questions UW student tax website Student account questions? Send to: